1. – Jean-Paul Belmondo, Classe tous risques, France-Italy, 1960. Lino Ventura initiated the José Giovanni script as Claude Sautet’s directing debut. But who should be the cohort..? Having also produced A Double tour, Robert Amon wanted nothing more to do with Belmondo and told Sautet to look at Gerard Blain, Alain Delon or Laurent Terzieff. Sautet understood those choices but not the rotund, sweaty singer Moreno, better known for cha-cha-ing around (Brigitte Bardot, usually) in loud, flowered shirts. “Well, he was in the huge success: La salaire de la peur,” said Armon. Yeah, but not as a star… Sautet stuck by Jean-Paul. The film opened one week after A bout de souffle… and “Bebel” was born!
2. – Salvatore Baccaloni, Fanny, 1960. Well, he looked a clone of the guy in the 1932 poster. Just not in the same acting bracket. Even with stage-screen director Joshua Logan in charge. Playwright Marcel Pagnol’s comment after seeing the film of his classic trilogy was: “The scenery is superb!”
Birth year: 1921Death year: 1968Other name: Casting Calls: 2